Sri Lanka

COUNTRY PROFILE

Sri Lanka, authoritatively the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an island nation in South Asia, situated in the Indian Ocean toward the southwest of the Bay of Bengal and toward the southeast of the Arabian Sea. It is isolated from the Indian subcontinent by the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait. The authoritative capital, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, is a suburb of the business capital and biggest city, Colombo.

Sri Lanka's recorded history traverses 3,000 years, with confirmation of pre-notable human settlements going back to no less than 125,000 years. It has a rich social legacy and the main known Buddhist works of Sri Lanka, the Pāli Canon, go back to the Fourth Buddhist gathering in 29 BCE. Its geographic area and profound harbors made it of incredible vital significance from the season of the old Silk Road through to the cutting-edge Maritime Silk Road.

The island is home to many cultures, languages and ethnicities. The majority of the population is from the Sinhalese ethnicity, while a large minority of Tamils have also played an influential role in the island's history. Moors, Burghers, Malays, Chinese, and the aboriginal Vedda have also established groups on the island.

HISTORY

The pre-history of Sri Lanka returns 125,000 years and potentially even as far back as 500,000 years. The period traverses the Paleolithic, Mesolithic and early Iron Ages. Among the Paleolithic human settlements found in Sri Lanka, Pahiyangala (named after the Chinese voyager priest Faxian), which goes back to 37,000 BP, Batadombalena (28,500 BP) and Belilena (12,000 BP) are the most imperative. In these caves, archaeologists have discovered the remaining parts of anatomically present-day people which they have named Balangoda Man, and other evidence recommending that they may have occupied with agribusiness and kept residential canines for driving game.

One of the main composed references to the island is found in the Indian epic Ramayana, which gives subtle elements of a kingdom named Lanka that was made by the heavenly stone worker Vishwakarma for Kubera, the Lord of Wealth. It is said that Kubera was ousted by his evil spirit stepbrother Ravana, the intense head who manufactured a legendary flying machine named Dandu Monara. The advanced city of Wariyapola is portrayed as Ravana's airport.

Early tenants of Sri Lanka were presumably progenitors of the Vedda people, an indigenous people numbering roughly 2,500 living in current Sri Lanka. The nineteenth-century Irish student of history James Emerson Tennent conjectured that Galle, a city in southern Sri Lanka, was the antiquated seaport of Tarshish from which King Solomon is said to have drawn ivory, peacocks, and different resources.

GEOGRAPHY

Sri Lanka lies on the Indian Plate, a noteworthy structural plate that was once in the past piece of the Indo-Australian Plate. It is in the Indian Ocean southwest of the Bay of Bengal, between scopes 5° and 10°N, and longitudes 79° and 82°E. Sri Lanka is isolated from the terrain segment of the Indian subcontinent by the Gulf of Mannar and Palk Strait. As indicated by Hindu folklore, a land connects existed between the Indian territory and Sri Lanka. It currently sums to just a chain of limestone reefs staying above ocean level. Legends assert that it was acceptable by walking up to 1480 AD, until the point that tornados developed the channel. Portions are still as shallow as 1 meter (3 ft), obstructing navigation. The island comprises for the most part of the level to moving seaside fields, with mountains rising just in the south-focal part. The most noteworthy point is Pidurutalagala, achieving 2,524 meters (8,281 ft) above ocean level.

Sri Lanka has 103 waterways. The longest of these is the Mahaweli River, broadening 335 kilometers (208 mi). These conduits offer ascent to 51 normal cascades of 10 meters or more. The most noteworthy is Bambarakanda Falls, with a stature of 263 meters (863 ft). Sri Lanka's coastline is 1,585 km long. Sri Lanka claims an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) expanding 200 nautical miles, which is around 6.7 times Sri Lanka's property territory. The coastline and contiguous waters bolster profoundly profitable marine biological systems, for example, bordering coral reefs and shallow beds of beach front and estuarine seagrasses.

Sri Lanka has 45 estuaries and 40 lagoons. Sri Lanka's mangrove biological community traverses more than 7,000 hectares and assumed a crucial part in buffering the power of the waves in the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. The island is wealthy in minerals, for example, ilmenite, feldspar, graphite, silica, kaolin, mica and thorium. Existence of oil and gas in the Gulf of Mannar has additionally been affirmed and the extraction of recoverable amounts is underway.

CLIMATE

The atmosphere is tropical and warm, because of the directing impacts of sea winds. Mean temperatures extend from 17 °C (62.6 °F) in the focal good countries, where ice may happen for a few days in the winter, to a most extreme of 33 °C (91.4 °F) in other low-elevation regions. Normal yearly temperatures extend from 28 °C (82.4 °F) to about 31 °C (87.8 °F). Day and night temperatures may differ by 14 °C (25.2 °F) to 18 °C (32.4 °F).

Precipitation design is impacted by storm twists from the Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal. The "wet zone" and a portion of the windward inclines of the focal good countries get up to 2,500 millimeters (98.4 in) of rain every year, except the leeward slants in the east and upper east get little rain. The majority of the east, southeast, and northern parts of Sri Lanka contain the "dry zone", which gets in the vicinity of 1,200 and 1,900 mm (47 and 75 in) of rain annually.

The dry northwest and southeast drifts get a minimal measure of rain at 800 to 1,200 mm (31 to 47 in) every year. Intermittent squalls happen and now and again tropical tornados convey cloudy skies and rains toward the southwest, upper east, and eastern parts of the island. Mugginess is ordinarily higher in the southwest and precipitous zones and relies upon the occasional examples of rainfall. An expansion in normal precipitation combined with heavier precipitation occasions has brought about intermittent flooding and related harms to the framework, utility supply and the urban economy.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Existing in the Indomalaya ecozone, Sri Lanka is one of 25 biodiversity hotspots in the world. Although the nation is generally little in estimate, it has the most astounding biodiversity thickness in Asia. A strikingly high extent of the species among its greenery, 27% of the 3,210 blooming plants and 22% of the warm-blooded creatures (see List), are endemic. Sri Lanka has announced 24 natural life saves, which are home to an extensive variety of local species, for example, Asian elephants, panthers, sloth bears, the one of a kind little loris, an assortment of deer, the purple-colored langur, the jeopardized wild hog, porcupines and Indian pangolins.

Blooming acacias prosper on the parched Jaffna Peninsula. Among the trees of the dry-arrive timberlands are significant species, for example, satinwood, black, ironwood, mahogany and teak. The wet zone is a tropical evergreen wood with tall trees, expansive foliage, and a thick undergrowth of vines and creepers. Subtropical evergreen woods looking like those of calm atmospheres thrive in the higher altitudes.

The Sri Lankan panther (Panthera pardus kotiya) is a jeopardized subspecies of panther local to Sri Lanka. Yala National Park in the southeast ensures crowds of elephant, deer, and peacocks. The Wilpattu National Park in the northwest, the biggest national stop, saves the natural surroundings of numerous water winged animals, for example, storks, pelicans, ibis, and spoonbills. The island has four biosphere saves Bundala, Hurulu Forest Reserve, the Kanneliya-Dediyagala-Nakiyadeniya, and Sinharaja. Of these, Sinharaja woods hold is home to 26 endemic feathered creatures and 20 rainforest species, including the subtle humiliated malkoha, the green-charged coucal and the Sri Lanka blue jaybird. Maha rath mala (Rhododendron arboreum ssp. zeylanicum) is an uncommon sub-types of Rhododendron arboreum found in Central Highlands of Sri Lanka. The undiscovered hereditary capability of Sinharaja verdure is huge. Of the 211 woody trees and lianas inside the save, 139 (66%) are endemic. The aggregate vegetation thickness, including trees, bushes, herbs and seedlings, has been assessed at 240,000 people for every hectare. The Minneriya National Park outskirts the Minneriya tank, which is an essential wellspring of water for various elephants (Elephus maximus) possessing the encompassing woodlands. Named "The Gathering", the assemblage of elephants can be seen on the tank-bed in the late dry season (August to October) as the encompassing water sources relentlessly vanish. The recreation center additionally incorporates a scope of small scale living spaces which incorporate exemplary dry zone tropical monsoonal evergreen woodland, thick stands of goliath bamboo, sloping fields (patanas). also, fields (talawas).

Sri Lanka is home to more than 250 kinds of occupant feathered creatures (see List). It has pronounced a few winged creature asylums including Kumana. During the Mahaweli Program of the 1980s in northern Sri Lanka, the administration put aside four zones of land totalling 1,900 km2 (730 sq mi) as national parks. Sri Lanka's timberland cover, which was around 49% of every 1920, had tumbled to roughly 24% by 2009.

DEMOGRAPHICS

Sri Lanka is the 58th most populated country in the world, with about 21,444,000 individuals, and a yearly populace development rate of 1.14%. Sri Lanka has a birth rate of 17.6 births for every 1,000 individuals and a demise rate of 6.2 passing for every 1,000 people. Population thickness is most astounding in western Sri Lanka, particularly in and around the capital. Sinhalese constitute the biggest ethnic gathering in the nation, with 74.8% of the aggregate population.

Sri Lankan Tamils are the second real ethnic gathering in the island, with a level of 11.2%. Sri Lankan Moors involve 9.2%. Tamils of Indian birthplace were brought into the nation as contracted workers by British pioneers to take a shot at domain manors. Almost half of them were repatriated following freedom in 1948. They are recognized from the local Tamil populace that has dwelled in Sri Lanka since old circumstances. There are likewise little ethnic gatherings, for example, the Burghers (of blended European plummet) and Malays from Southeast Asia. Besides, there is a little populace of Vedda individuals who are accepted to be the first indigenous gathering to possess the island.

LANGUAGE

Sinhalese and Tamil are the two authority dialects of Sri Lanka. The Constitution characterizes English as the connection dialect. English is generally utilized for instruction, legal and business purposes. Individuals from the Burgher people group talk variation types of Portuguese Creole and Dutch with differing capability, while individuals from the Malay people group talk a type of Creole Malay that is one of a kind to the island.

RELIGION

Sri Lanka is a multi-religious nation. Buddhists contain 70 percent of the population, with the Theravada school being predominant. Most Buddhists are of the Sinhalese ethnic gathering. Buddhism was acquainted with Sri Lanka in the second century BCE by Venerable Mahinda. A sapling of the Bodhi Tree under which the Lord Buddha accomplished illumination was conveyed to Sri Lanka amid a similar time. The Pali Canon (Thripitakaya), having already been safeguarded as an oral convention, was first dedicated to writing in Sri Lanka around 30 BCE.

Sri Lanka has the longest persistent history of Buddhism of any overwhelmingly Buddhist nation, with the Sangha having existed in a generally solid genealogy since its presentation in the second century BCE. Amid times of decrease, the Sri Lankan ascetic ancestry was resuscitated through contact with Thailand and Burma. Buddhism is given exceptional acknowledgement in the Constitution which requires Sri Lankans to "ensure and encourage the Buddha Sasana". Hinduism is the second most common religion in Sri Lanka and originates before Buddhism. Today, Hinduism is predominant in Northern, Eastern and Central Sri Lanka. Hindus are for the most part Tamils. Islam is the third most predominant religion in the nation, having first been conveyed to the island by Arab brokers through the span of numerous hundreds of years, beginning around the seventh century CE. Most Muslims are Sunni who take after the Shafi'i school. Most devotees of Islam in Sri Lanka today are accepted to be relatives of those Arab merchants and the nearby ladies they married. Christianity achieved the nation through Western homesteaders in the mid-sixteenth century. Around 7.4% of the Sri Lankan populace are Christians, of which 82% are Roman Catholics who follow their religious legacy straightforwardly to the Portuguese. The rest of the Christians are equitably part between the Anglican Church of Ceylon and other Protestant denominations. There is likewise a little populace of Zoroastrian migrants from India (Parsis) who settled in Ceylon amid the time of British rule, yet this network has consistently dwindled in ongoing years. Religion assumes an unmistakable part in the life and culture of Sri Lankans. The Buddhist dominant part watches Poya Days every month as per the Lunar date-book, and Hindus and Muslims additionally watch their own occasions. In a 2008 Gallup survey, Sri Lanka was positioned the third most religious nation on the planet, with 99% of Sri Lankans saying religion was a critical piece of their day by day life.

TRANSPORT

Sri Lanka has a broad street arrange for inland transportation. With in excess of 100,000 km of cleared roads, it has one of the most noteworthy street densities on the planet (1.5 km of cleared streets per each 1sq.km. of land). E-level interstates are the most recent expansion to Sri Lanka's street arrange. These are getting to controlled, high-portability streets with allowed speed limit to 100 km/h. These expressways associate neighborhood networks together, by-passing occupied and congested town focuses.

An and B level streets are national (blood vessel) interstates controlled by Road Development Authority. C and D level streets are common streets going under the domain of the Provincial Road Development Authority of the separate region. Alternate streets are nearby streets falling under neighborhood government specialists. The rail system of Sri Lanka comprises of fundamental lines, beachfront lines, and up-nation lines. What's more, air-and water-based transportation modalities expand the inland transport of the nation.

CULTURE

The way of life of Sri Lanka goes back more than 2500 years. It is impacted fundamentally by Buddhism and Hinduism. Sri Lanka is the home to two primary customary societies: the Sinhalese (focused in the old urban communities of Kandy and Anuradhapura) and the Tamil (focused in the city of Jaffna). In later circumstances, the British pioneer culture has additionally impacted local people. Sri Lanka claims a vote-based custom created by influences of a couple of other countries. The principal Tamil movement was likely around the third century BCE. Tamils coincided with the Sinhalese individuals from that point forward, and the early blending rendered the two ethnic gatherings physically indistinct. Ancient Sri Lanka is set apart for its virtuoso in water-powered building and engineering. The rich social conventions shared by all Sri Lankan societies is the premise of the nation's long future, propelled wellbeing models and high proficiency rate.

FOODS AND FESTIVALS

Dishes incorporate rice and curry, pittu, kiribath, wholemeal roti, string containers, wattalapam (a rich pudding of Malay root made of coconut drain, jaggery, cashew nuts, eggs, and flavors including cinnamon and nutmeg), kottu, and hoppers. Jackfruit may now and then supplant rice. Generally, nourishment is served on a plantain leaf or lotus leaf. Center Eastern impacts and practices are found in conventional Moor dishes, while Dutch and Portuguese impacts are found with the island's Burgher people group protecting their way of life through customary dishes, for example, Lamprais (rice cooked in stock and heated in a banana leaf), Breudher (Dutch Holiday Biscuit), and Bolo Fiado (Portuguese-style layer cake). In April, Sri Lankans praise the Buddhist and Hindu new year festival. Esala Perahera is an emblematic Buddhist celebration comprising of moves and improved elephants held in Kandy in July and August. Fire-moves, whip-moves, Kandian moves and different other social moves are vital parts of the celebration. Christians observe Christmas on 25 December to praise the introduction of Jesus Christ and Easter to commend the revival of Jesus. Tamils observe Thai Pongal and Maha Shivaratri, and Muslims observe Hajj and Ramadan.

VISUAL, LITERARY AND PERFORMING ARTS

The Nelum Pokuna Mahinda Rajapaksa Theater was developed as a noteworthy scene for the performing expressions the motion picture Kadawunu Poronduwa (The broken guarantee), created by S. M. Nayagam of Chitra Kala Movietone, proclaimed the happening to Sri Lankan silver screen in 1947. Ranmuthu Duwa (Island of fortunes, 1962) denoted the change silver screen from high contrast to shading. It is the ongoing years has included subjects, for example, family drama, social change and the long stretches of contention between the military and the LTTE. The Sri Lankan realistic style is like Bollywood motion pictures. In 1979, film participation rose to an unequaled high, however, has been in relentless decrease since then.

A powerful producer is Lester James Peiris, who has coordinated various motion pictures which prompted worldwide recognition, including Rekava (Line of fate, 1956), Gamperaliya (The evolving town, 1964), Nidhanaya (The fortune, 1970) and Golu Hadawatha (Cold heart, 1968). Sri Lankan-Canadian writer Rienzi Crusz, is the subject of a narrative on his life in Sri Lanka. His work is distributed in Sinhalese and English. So also, naturalized-Canadian Michael Ondaatje is notable for his English-dialect books and three movies. The most punctual music in Sri Lanka originated from showy exhibitions, for example, Kolam, Sokari and Nadagam. Traditional music instruments, for example, Béra, Thammátama, Daŭla and Răbān were performed at these dramatizations. The principal music collection, Nurthi, recorded in 1903, was discharged through Radio Ceylon (established in 1925).

Lyricists like Mahagama Sekara and Ananda Samarakoon and performers, for example, W. D. Amaradeva, Victor Ratnayake, Nanda Malini and Clarence Wijewardene have contributed much towards the upliftment of Sri Lankan music. Baila is another well-known music class in the nation, started among Kaffirs or the Afro-Sinhalese community. There are three fundamental styles of Sri Lankan traditional move. They are, the Kandyan moves, low nation moves and Sabaragamuwa moves. Of these, the Kandyan style, which thrived under rulers of the Kingdom of Kandy, is more unmistakable. It is a modern type of dance, that comprises of five sub-classes: Ves move, Naiyandi move, Udekki move, Pantheru move and 18 Vannam. An intricate hat is worn by the male artists and a drum called Geta Béraya is utilized to help the artist to keep on rhythm. Furthermore, four society show variations named Sokri, Kolam Nadagam, Pasu, and a few demon move variations, for example, Sanni Yakuma and Kohomba Kankariya can be likewise observed.

The historical backdrop of Sri Lankan painting and figure can be followed as far back with regards to the second or third century BCE. The most punctual say about the craft of painting on Mahavamsa, is to the illustration of a castle on fabric utilizing cinnabar in the second century BCE. The annals have the portrayal of different positions in relic-councils of Buddhist stupas, and in an ascetic home.

Theater moved into the nation when a Parsi theater organization from Mumbai presented Nurti, a mix of European and Indian showy traditions to the Colombo gathering of people in the nineteenth century. The brilliant period of Sri Lankan dramatization and theater started with the arranging of Maname, a play composed by Ediriweera Sarachchandra in 1956. It was trailed by a progression of famous dramatizations like Sinhabāhu, Pabāvatī, Mahāsāra, Muudu Puththu and Subha Saha Yasa.

Sri Lankan writing ranges no less than two centuries and is beneficiary to the Aryan scholarly custom as encapsulated in the psalms of the Rigveda. The Pāli Canon, the standard accumulation of sacred texts in the Theravada Buddhist convention, was composed down in Sri Lanka amid the Fourth Buddhist chamber, at the Alulena buckle sanctuary, Kegalle, as right on time as 29 BC. Ancient annals, for example, the Mahāvamsa, written in the sixth century, give distinctive portrayals of Sri Lankan traditions. As indicated by the German savant Wilhelm Geiger, the accounts depend on Sinhala Atthakatha (discourse), that dates a couple of more hundreds of years back. The most seasoned surviving composition work is the Dhampiya-Atuva-Getapadaya, accumulated in the ninth century.

The best artistic accomplishments of medieval Sri Lanka incorporate Sandesha Kāvya (graceful messages, for example, Girā Sandeshaya (Parrot message), Hansa Sandeshaya (Swan message) and Salalihini Sandeshaya (Myna message). Verse including Kavsilumina, Kavya-Sekharaya (diadem of verse) and compositions, for example, Saddharma-Ratnāvaliya, Amāvatura (Flood of nectar) and Pujāvaliya are additionally remarkable works of this period, which is thought to be the brilliant time of Sri Lankan literature. The primary current novel, Meena, a work of Simon de Silva showed up in 1905 and was trailed by various progressive artistic works. Martin Wickramasinghe, the creator of Madol Doova is viewed as the famous figure of Sri Lankan literature.

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